Villiers vignettes - Raising the white flag

Good news from Cruella!

Judging by yesterday's written answer it looks as if Marsham Street has experienced a damascene conversion:

Rehman Chishti (Gillingham and Rainham)
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport from which companies the London and South Eastern Railway and its predecessor franchisees have leased rolling stock; how many and what types of rolling stock have been leased; and what the costs of such leasing has been in each year since 1994.

Theresa Villiers (Minister of State Transport; Chipping Barnet)
Information on the numbers and different types of rolling stock leased by train companies, and from whom, is in the public domain. For example, the Rail Guide 2011 produced by Ian Allan Publishing.

Leasing costs are commercially sensitive. Inquiries on this subject should be directed to the rolling stock owners and train operators.

Eye congratulates officials for finally conceding that they know nothing about rolling stock.

UPDATE: This from Captain Deltic...

While delighted by this endorsement by DfT of our annual reference book, could I emphasise that Modern Railways will not accept responsibility for any errors in references to rolling stock made by Transport Ministers in Parliamentary Statements and written answers.

Villiers vignettes - Bite sized chunks edition

Virgin reveals future performance plans

Has Virgin climbed into bed with Mystic Meg?

So it would appear from this poster which cannily reveals how well Virgin will perform next month!


Sadly, despite the benefits of such foresight, next month's performance will still be worse than in November 2010!

UPDATE: This from Virgin Trains...

Hands up, we made a mistake!

The performance poster for the four weeks ending 15th October does contain a misprint, and reference to November in the bar chart should read October.

This has now been corrected and updated posters will be despatched to stations.

UPDATE: This from Mr Tuppence Worth...

I don't know much about these things but what I do know is that a year comprises only 13 4-week periods yet despite the correction of November 2011 to October 2011 there will still be 14 bars for the year.

Still confused.

UPDATE: This from Our International Correspondent...

Actually, counting across from November 2010, the red bar for November is where December 2011 should go.

Thus they are still forecasting November's results, in the slot where December's should go, so two of the other grey bars, or one grey one and the red one are, er, bollox.

I must get out more.